Dog Food Recall August 2019 – Run-through
Official Announcement Date: August 14, 2019
FDA Publish Date: August 15, 2019
Product Type: Animal & Veterinary
Company Name: Texas Tripe Inc.
Product Description: Raw frozen pet food
Reason for Recall: Potential to be contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes
Recall In A Nutshell
- FDA (Food and Drug Administration) warned pet owners not to feed their pets with Texas Tripe Inc. raw pet food after some few samples tested positive for Salmonella and/or Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono).
- Texas Tripe Inc. has recalled for even 35 lots for each of 23 product varieties. You can find the full list here.
- If you have any or the recall Texas Tripe Inc. throw them immediately.
- Texas Tripe Inc. had to recall because FDA issued an alert that is a serious threat both to human and animal health.
- FDA is concerned that people may still have recalled products in possession because these products are sold and stored frozen.
- Salmonella and L. mono can affect both animal and human health, so people should consult their health care providers.
- If your pet had any bite of Texas Tripe Inc. food, contact your local veterinarian to search for symptoms of Salmonella or L. mono-infection.
So far it seems that 2019 was a busy year for FDA (The U.S. Food and Drug Administration) who called two major companies to recall their products. The first one was in July when pig ears were caught with Salmonella, and the second one is happening right now. Texas Tripe Inc. has recalled lots of its raw food because of a potential contamination with Salmonella and Listeria.
We can say that August 14, 2019, was a big day for Texas Tripe Inc. The recall directly affected 35 lots of each of 23 different varieties sold frozen in 20- and even 40- pound cases with numerous plastic pouches inside. The lot codes of the recall pet food are seen on the outside of the cases.
Note: lot codes are not seen on the individual plastic pouches.
Consumers that are unable to identify the lot code because the case packaging is missing should throw the product away immediately.
The ‘Why’ Behind The Recall
The Office of the Texas State Chemist (OTSC) collected 23 finished product samples at Texas Tripe Inc., for a regular audit. During this, what seemed to be a standard check, 16 samples (from 23 samples) turned out positive for Salmonella or L. mono.
These results were followed up by the FDA. Following the procedure, FDA inspected, collected and analyzed samples of the unopened finished product, after the company executed corrective actions. FDA tests showed that some of the samples contained L.mono or/and Salmonella.
With joined actions, both FDA and the Office of the Texas State Chemist (OTSC) shared their test results with Texas Tripe Inc. Texas Tripe Inc. initiated a recall on July 3, 2019, by directly notifying some of its customers via email.
Here’s the entire list of recalled products proved to be positive to the tests to L.mono and Salmonella :
- Texas Tripe Ground Turkey Necks
- Texas Trip Chicken Tripe Complete
- Texas Tripe Ground Chicken w/Bone
- Texas Tripe Shepherd’s Blend
- Texas Tripe Chicken/Pork/Salmon with Egg
- Texas Tripe Chicken Blend
- Texas Tripe Green Tripe
- Texas Tripe Phat Katz
- Texas Tripe Senior Pro
- Texas Tripe All-Star Bully Blend
- Texas Tripe Beef Blend
- Texas Tripe Duck-Rabbit
- Texas Tripe Goat Tripe Complete
- Texas Tripe Boneless Chicken Blend
- Texas Tripe Turkey Pork Blend
- Texas Tripe Beef Tripe and Ground Rabbit
- Texas Tripe Boneless Beef Blend
- Texas Tripe Coarse Ground Beef with Bone
- Texas Tripe Wolf Run Plus
- Texas Tripe Turkey Blend
- Texas Tripe Pork Blend
- Texas Tripe Beginners Choice
- Texas Tripe Wolf Run
Who Were The Consumers?
Thanks to online tools, the majority of recalled pet food was sold online and delivered in a day. The other most common sale approach was via phone to bigger distributors who are selling to local supermarkets and pet shops.
The affected pet food was sold directly to consumers in Arkansas, California, Florida, Tennessee and many more. The full list of lot codes that should be thrown away can be found here.
How Can Consumers Protect Themselves And Their Pets?
Consumers should intermediately check their freezers for any contaminated pet food. If consumers have any recalled product they should stop feeding their pets and throw the food away. It is important to throw away all the affected food products in a secure container where other animals (domestic animals and wildlife) cannot access it.
Consumers who have had this product in their homes should clean their freezers and disinfect all bowls, food prep surfaces, toys, pet bedding, even floors and any other surfaces that the food or pet may have have been in contact with. Moreover, dog owners that bought Texas Tripe Inc. products should pay extra attention to cleaning up their pet’s feces in parks and yards where other animals and people can come in contact with. These bacteria remain in a infected dog’s stool and can continue threatening other animals and humans if not eliminated properly.
Consumers should thoroughly wash their hands after handling the recalled product or any surface where the product may have been.
Salmonella is a serious bacteria that can cause severe illness and even death in animals and humans, especially in those who are weakened, elderly or young. Consumers should monitor family members and pets for symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, and even abdominal cramps.
In some rare cases, Salmonella can spread into the bloodstream and other body sites as well. In addition, pets that have a Salmonella infection do not always show symptoms, but they can show the signs of loss of appetite, decreased activity level, vomiting, and even bloody diarrhea.
Salmonella can be shed in animal saliva and feces, leading further contamination.
What Is Salmonella?
Salmonella is a dangerous bacteria that can lead to serious complications and potentially even death in both humans and canines. Majority of people will have symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. In most cases, people will recover without treatment, while in some hospitalization may be necessary.
When the Salmonella infection is more serious, a person needs to be treated with antibiotics promptly. Consult your health care provider if you have symptoms of Salmonella .
What Is Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono)?
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can cause severe illness and even death both in animals and humans. This bacteria is especially harsh to those who are very old, very young, pregnant, or even have a weak immune system.
The most common symptoms are a stiff neck, loss of balance, muscle aches, fever, confusion, and a headache. Although this condition is seen in humans, its uncommon in pets, but not impossible. Symptoms in pets may include anorexia, nervous signs, severe diarrhea, depression, shock, and even death.
Furthermore, the FDA requires that all human food and even animal food is kept in safe and hygienic spaces, produced under sanitary conditions and with no harmful substances. Any food that is not cooked comes with a significantly higher risk of being affected by Salmonella and L. mono. Freezing and refrigeration don’t kill the bacteria.
If you want to report a human or animal illness related to pet food, you can do so by reporting electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal. This information will help FDA’s work and protection of both animal and human health.